She doesn't just follow a progressive agenda, she sets it.
Gun violence prevention
Denyse has been instrumental in passing meaningful gun safety legislation in Illinois. She founded the gun violence prevention nonprofit, People for a Safer Society, after the Sandy Hook School shooting. She helped pass landmark legislation that has made people in Illinois safer, including Gun Dealer Certification and the Firearms Restraining Order law.
Denyse has been instrumental in passing meaningful gun safety legislation in Illinois. She founded the gun violence prevention nonprofit, People for a Safer Society, after the Sandy Hook School shooting. She helped pass landmark legislation that has made people in Illinois safer, including Gun Dealer Certification and the Firearms Restraining Order law.
- Supports strengthening the Firearms Owner Identification Card (FOID) system
- Supports legislation to ban assault weapons and large capacity magazines
- Supports background checks for every gun sale
- Supports keeping guns outside of schools and places of worship
- Endorsed by:

"Our endorsement goes to Denyse Wang Stoneback, who founded the gun violence prevention organization People for a Safer Society after the Sandy Hook massacre. Stoneback fought hard, though ultimately without success, to block a gun shop and firing range from opening near schools in Niles. Her group then successfully advocated in Springfield for a requirement that gun dealers have a state certificate of license."
Pro-choice
Denyse believes reproductive rights are human rights. She unequivocally believes in a woman’s right to choose.
Denyse believes reproductive rights are human rights. She unequivocally believes in a woman’s right to choose.
- Supports the constitutionally protected right for women to choose their own healthcare
- Endorsed by:
Taxes
Denyse believes working families are overtaxed in Illinois. She wants to lower property taxes.
Denyse believes working families are overtaxed in Illinois. She wants to lower property taxes.
- Supports the Fair Tax, which would generate $3.4 billion in much-needed funding while providing tax relief to 97% of Illinois residents. This would help generate money for public schools, which are overtaxing residents via property taxes to make up for the shortfall caused by the state
- Supports modifications to the Tax Increment Financing law to make sure it is used to rebuild blighted communities and protect public schools
- Endorsed by:
Education
Denyse is a champion for public schools. She attended Middleton Elementary, McCracken Middle School, and Niles North High School. She understands that access to quality public education is essential.
Denyse is a champion for public schools. She attended Middleton Elementary, McCracken Middle School, and Niles North High School. She understands that access to quality public education is essential.
- Supports fully funding public schools including K-12 and higher education
- Supports an elected school board in the City of Chicago
- Endorsed by:
Environment
Denyse believes we must pass down a safe and healthy environment to our future generations.
Denyse believes we must pass down a safe and healthy environment to our future generations.
- Supports Illinois meeting its goal of 100% clean energy by 2050 by supporting the Clean Energy Jobs Act
- Supports banning fracking on public lands
- Endorsed by:
Government Transparency
Denyse will not take a penny from corporate PACs.
Denyse will not take a penny from corporate PACs.
- Supports campaign finance reform to minimize the influence of large contributors
- Supports a ban on lawmakers lobbying local governments
- Supports a 2-year cooling off period before lawmakers can become lobbyists
- Endorsed by:
Healthcare
She believes the cost of healthcare is too high and wants to make it more affordable.
She believes the cost of healthcare is too high and wants to make it more affordable.
- Supports universal healthcare
- Supports working with hospitals to ensure they are in-network for ACA insurance plans
Our most vulnerable
She believes we must never stop working to help others who are in need.
She believes we must never stop working to help others who are in need.
- Supports increasing funding for Department of Children and Family Services and reorganizing the Department to reduce caseloads
- Supports the development and expansion of mental health centers
- Supports improving care for senior citizens in Illinois
- Supports increasing funding for services and aid for the developmentally disabled with the goal of eliminating the wait for services
- Endorsed by:
Criminal Justice
She believes our justice system must be restorative and community-centered, instead of punitive and inequitable.
She believes our justice system must be restorative and community-centered, instead of punitive and inequitable.
- Supports community policing strategies to ensure that police departments see collaboration with communities of color as the first step toward a more equitable system
- Supports evidence-based restorative justice approaches and alternatives to incarceration when possible, particularly for those who are homeless or need care for mental health or addiction issues.
- Supports ending the harmful practice of cash bail
- Supports improving conditions and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations in correctional facilities
Responsive Leadership
She has worked to engage residents to ensure that their voices are heard and that government works for the people
She has worked to engage residents to ensure that their voices are heard and that government works for the people